Amortentia
by TheWordThief
Summary: "There was this girl. Red hair, green eyes, beautiful…" A party, some Firewhiskey, a cheesy song about falling in love, and two Gryffindor sixth years. Because Sirius Black insists that there's rules about drinking alone at a party.


**A Jily one-shot because they are so cute and so perfect and I love them 3**

**Diclaimer: All characters etc belong to JK Rowling**

**I really hope you enjoy it :)**

**-TheWordThief**

**Amortentia **

_'__I don't need no Amortentia_

_to know I'm in to you_

_I know it from your smile_

_your lips on mine_

_I think you know it too.'_

The latest hit from Chasing Snitches was playing in the background as James nursed a Firewhiskey in a secluded corner of the Gryffindor common-room-turned-party-venue. The party was nearly over now, the few hardcore party goers beginning to regret passing 'inebriated' many hours before. Sirius Black, swaggering around the dance floor with his latest girlfriend, seemed to be the only one with much energy left, and, otherwise occupied, was mercifully not paying much attention to his best mate, slumped morosely in an old armchair.

All in all, James reflected, it hadn't been a bad party. The music, a confusing (to those not of Muggle birth or lacking the Marauders' idea of a decent taste in music) mix of wizarding and muggle hits (but seriously, some Pureblood gits hadn't even heard of Pink Floyd, or the Beatles. The Beatles!) had proved to be an inspired choice, the alcohol had been more than satisfactory and he could have had his pick of at least half-a-dozen girls making hopeful eyes at him across the dimly lit room. And yet…he couldn't stop thinking about what had occurred an hour and twenty minutes in, just as the party was getting into full swing.

_'__I don't need to brew Amortentia,_

_to know it smells of you, _

_I know that because you're the only one, _

_Baby you know it's true.' _

_Earlier _

The dancefloor was filling up nicely, and the Marauders congratulated themselves on another party successfully pulled off.

"Nice job mate." Sirius slapped him on the back.

"Yeah Padfoot, you too." he replied, before noticing Lily, sat in the corner by herself. Sirius followed his gaze and grinned slightly. James' infatuation with Lily Evans really was bordering on pathetic. He sighed.

"James, just go talk to her."

"She hates me."

"Nah she doesn't. Not now you've deflated your head a bit. Besides, no-one should be drinking alone at a party."

"She's not drinking."

"Exactly! There should be laws against it!"

"Really Padfoot" James raised an eyebrow in disbelief, but accepted the two bottles of Firewhiskey shoved into his hand nonetheless, and walked over to where Lily was sat, with Sirius' farewell shout of "There is, I've checked!" ringing in his ears.

Lily glanced up as he came to a stop and managed a tired smile.

"Hey, James."

"You know my first name?!" James gasped in mock surprise. Lily chuckled quietly.

"I think I've got it figured out. I'm not really in the mood for 'Potter and Evans' tonight. I'd rather it just be Lily and James, not trying to wind each other up."

"I can do that. Want to tell me what's up?"

He came over and sat next to her. "Oh, and I forgot, this is for you."

He handed her one of the bottles of Firewhiskey; she took it with a raised eyebrow. "It's from Sirius." he explained. "Apparently there's laws against not drinking at a party."

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Of course there are."

They drank in silence for a minute before James rephrased his question.

"So why aren't you enjoying the party? Is it the whole Moor thing? Because Moor's a git."

Callum Moor had, until recently, been Lily Evans' steady boyfriend of almost a year, until she had found out the week before that he had been cheating on her with Ravenclaw fifth year Priscilla Harris. It was still fuelling Hogwarts gossip mills, so James was surprised when lily shook her head.

"Nah. Well, partly, though to tell you the truth I'm kind of over it. If you must know, it's my sister."

"The bitchy one?"

"Of course the bitchy one, I don't have any others…and how did you know that anyway?"

James winked at her.

"The same way I know that Marlene's middle name is Rose and Alice's favourite colour is blue."

At Lily's blank expression, he sighed and explained.

"Oh come on Lily. I've been in the same house as you for six years, it's only natural that I've picked things up."

"I'm impressed Potter." Lily admitted.

"Hey!" he pointed his finger at her accusingly. "You said no surnames."

"So I did. I'm very impressed, _James._"

"So what's this bitchy sister done now?"

"Gotten engaged."

She sounded defeated at this, and James looked at her in sympathy.

"I'm guessing you're not exactly over the moon then?"

"Not really. He's awful."

"She hasn't found Prince Charming then?" he quipped, and was rewarded by Lily's laughter.

"Definitely not. He looks like a walrus and has the manners of one too. Oh, and he's the sort of person whose first reaction on finding out that his sister-in-law to be is a witch, is to ask is if hypothetical future children are at risk from the same 'freakiness'. As if any magic would get past his genes!" she ended bitterly.

"Sounds like a real charmer." James commented wryly.

"Oh, yeah. And now Tuney's gone and gotten engaged to him!" Lily cried. "I shouldn't even _be _this upset, she never talks to me…at the very least I should be happy that she's happy but he's just _so _awful and…" she seemed to run out of words to say everything that she wanted to say.

"She's happy, then?" James asked gently.

Lily nodded her head. "Seems to be from the sound of my Mum's letter."

James took a deep breath. "You're right, of course. This man does sound awful. But I've learnt that if you really love someone, you have to let them go and do their own thing, even if you don't like it."

Lily looked at him strangely for a second. "You're right." she said after a moment. "Of course you're right. Speaking from experience? If you don't mind me asking." she hastily added onto the end. James considered for a moment.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." He fell silent for a moment, before continuing. "There was this girl. Red hair, green eyes, beautiful…" he snuck a glance at Lily, expecting to see her infamous glare. Instead, her cheeks were flushed slightly pink, and she was smiling softly and a little sadly. "She doesn't like me though. Hates me, I think. I don't blame her. I was awful to her for years, because I was infatuated with her, and I thought I could get her attention that way. Well, I got her attention…and her scorn. And eventually I realised that constantly asking her out, or messing with her head was just making both of us miserable, and that if I really loved her, I'd stop. I'd let her go. So that's what I've been trying to do."

He looked down suddenly; lily had slipped her small hand into his and squeezed.

"I don't hate you, James."

He looked up sharply, and she was staring at him with her beautiful green eyes, willing him to believe her.

"You don't?"

"No. I could even like you, if things had been different. But…I don't know."

"It's ok not to know." James said softly.

"I know. It's just…there's so much history between us, James, and I'm not making much sense. But I'm willing to try being friends. I think that could work."

"Me too." James agreed earnestly.

Lily's head came to rest on his shoulder.

"We're a pair aren't we?"

"At least we're not drinking alone." James pointed out. Lily laughed softly.

"No. Or not drinking, that would be worse."

"True. We must be thankful for small miracles." He held out a hand to her. "One dance?"

She stared at his outstretched for a palm, before shaking her head slightly with a small laugh. "I give up. Go on then. One dance."

He led her to the makeshift dancefloor, just as a slow song came on. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Of course."

But she willing let James put his hand on her waist as they swayed gently from side to side. After a while, she put her lips to his ear, and whispered something softly.

"The thing is James, you're right. But you forgot a bit. If you believe in something, you have to be willing to try. And if you love something, you have to be willing to wait."

"Lily, what is this?" James asked, drawing back slightly to look at her.

"What's what?" she asked.

"This. Us, talking without wanting to kill each other, having some sort of deep, veiled conversation, us dancing."

Lily smiled slightly.

"It's me, trying." She stood back. "I'm going to go now, but thank you. James."

And with a kiss to the cheek, and a murmured "Goodnight, James.", she was gone, climbing the stairs to her dormitory, leaving James standing alone as the song came to an end. He grinned as he crossed over to the now empty corner where they had been sat. The bottles of Firewhiskey were still there. He guessed Lily wouldn't mind if he finished hers. He raised one of them in a silent toast to her.

"This is me waiting." he whispered to himself, and raised the bottle to his lips.

_And don't you know, _

_Your scent's everywhere I go, _

_And don't you know, _

_Your smile's there,_

_Everytime I close my eyes,_

_And don't you know, _

_You're all I think about_

_But all I can do_

_Is write a song for you_

_All I can do_

_Is write a song for you. _

_'__Yes' _James reflected as the party came to a close. _'All in all, it hadn't been a bad party.'_


End file.
